They look like Disney characters. And for once, we totally mean that in a good way. He’s serving up Prince Charming and she’s serving up Disney Princess realness. You’ve gotta hand it to them; these kids know their roles. Well done, Mrs. Cathy – although we wince at your shoes.

Looks so much better on her than on the model. (Pretty dress ruined by an inappropriate belt)

tallgirl1204

although, excuse me, what the heck is going on with two clutch purses? They’re both cute but couldn’t she have stuffed everything into just the bigger plaid one?

luciaphile

I think the plaid one is a scarf folded up.

Jecca2244

yah it is a scarf. she had it around her neck on the barge.

3boysful

You know, if that were me, that carefully folded scarf would’ve come undone and be dragging behind me. Must be a princess-school secret. Or it’s pinned together in the middle, covered by the clutch!

TieDye64

That would be me, too. I’d probably end up stepping on it.

https://twitter.com/Gayer_Than_Thou Gayer Than Thou

She’s got people for that. It helps.

M_E_S

The plaid one is actually a scarf of Strathearn tartan (she is the Countess of Strathearn).

FWG_SC

That plaid looks an awful lot like a folded scarf to me…

http://twitter.com/hmbscully WendyD

The plaid isn’t a purse, it’s a scarf/shawl. She had it on later in the day when the weather got really bad.

Sonia Mistry

I don’t think the plaid thingy is a clutch. It looks like a folded up sash.

rideuntiltheend

one is a scarf

J MN

I believe that the plaid is a scarf or shawl folded, you can just see the fringe. I didn’t see her wear it yesterday on the Royal barge but the Queen did have one draped over her outfit (white, not plaid). It was quite chilly on the water.

http://twitter.com/SamanthaLee17 Samantha Lee

It’s a scarf crafted of Strathearn tartan, when in Scotland she and William are the Earl and Countess of Strathearn.

Melvis Velour

If he’s an Earl, shouldn’t that make her an Earless? Just sayin….

Louise Summers

No, the wife of an earl is a countess…the Earl and Countess of Wessex? Just sayin….

christinewithanx

Yeah, it looks like she has a makeup or pencil case and a glasses case. Makes no sense!

charlotte

(That thing looks like something from a horror movie)

Spreecord

How fierce would it have been if she had worse that giant-ass corset belt, too?

Miss_Magpie

And she owns that giant ass corset belt thingy, or at least the skinny middle bit!

http://asskickingadviser.com/ Ass Kicking Adviser

My thoughts exactly! Wouldn’t have really gone with the hat and pumps though. I’ll take my Alexander McQueen any way I can get it I suppose. But oh how I love that belt!

susu11

I like how the pleat front of her dress kinda echoes the military cut of Will’s uniform. The felt fringe flower things on her hat looks a little arts and crafty to me but there’s no denying she looks fantastic.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6TDAYXK555ABAKZEEOAJMC25FU Stan

I wish Bill would look at this picture ansee how great he looks in a single breasted coat. I’m missing the belt on Cathy’s frock. Not that she should have gone all dominatrix with that leather one, but a cute belt made out of the same plaid that’s in that little clutch she has?

http://joyouslifesf.wordpress.com Kiltdntiltd

Cute dress, great hat. SOMEBODY, please grab those shoes off of her and burn them now. Bill look smokin’.

schadenfreudelicious

she must own several pairs, cause if those are the same pair being worn for every outing they must be about ready to spontaneously combust on their own by now!

schadenfreudelicious

she must own several pairs, cause if those are the same pair being worn for every outing they must be about ready to spontaneously combust on their own by now!

http://joyouslifesf.wordpress.com Kiltdntiltd

Then, what we need is a two pronged attack. One to destroy the product at its source, by taking out the factory, and the other, an infiltration of the palace to grab all the existing pairs. But we’ll leave her some great new shoes in their place.

bitchybitchybitchy

I like the way you think, sir! Yes, time to mount a fashion commando raid on the shoe factory….

http://twitter.com/starrika Ali

Shoes can be resoled, you know. That’s what cobblers are for.

schadenfreudelicious

no doubt there is a royal cobbler, thinking more about endless wearing of the same pair of shoes for dozens of walkabouts…..time for a fresh pair methinks…

J MN

I think she wears them often as a sign that the she, as a royal, isn’t being extravagant and is being frugal at a time when the bad economic times are hitting the regular people. The Brits love frugality and love it when she re-wears an outfit or shoes. She always looks sharp but not overly showy.

SRQkitten

That’s a far more charitable explanation (that makes some sense!) than my own, which was that her family has invested in this shoe company so she must flog this shoe on every third occasion.

srq

Monabel

Let the poor woman wear the shoes she wants to. It’s her job to be on her feet a LOT. Maybe these are the most comfortable.

https://twitter.com/Gayer_Than_Thou Gayer Than Thou

Whatever else can be said about the late Princess Diana, she left the royal family with a huge genetic gift in the looks department.

http://joyouslifesf.wordpress.com Kiltdntiltd

So true. Whatever might be termed, regrettable, in the family appearance, historically, seems to have been royally mitigated. (ahem)

MsKitty

Would have liked the dress a bit more if it didn’t have that cutout in the top. It practically draws your eyes to her uterus.

Fordzo

It’s like she’s begging the rumor mill to begin churning faster.

http://twitter.com/Goldielox73 Goldie

Oh, it already is. You should have read the comments on the People website yesterday. They alternated back and forth between “She’s pregnant.” and “They were fighting.”

http://twitter.com/Mariebeth21 Marie Elizabeth

LOL are you serious?

http://twitter.com/Goldielox73 Goldie

Yep. Apparently, the fact that she was holding her hands over her midsection must mean she’s pregnant. And people who watched the parade on TV insisted they were fighting because they didn’t stand next to each other for the whole five hours.

girliecue

I”d love it if she said, “No, I actually DID just eat a sandwich already.”

Cathy S

Yes, that’s the part that doesn’t work for me.

MoHub

Yes. I definitely read that as the window to her lady parts. Other than that, though it’s lovely.

Sobaika

This seems very similar to her garden party outfit. Similar cut, pleating, same heels, matching hat, etc.

http://twitter.com/hmbscully WendyD

I’m starting to think those pumps are really comfortable. You see her wearing them at events where she’s on her feet for long periods of time. (I know they were standing for the whole 5 hours I watched the BBC America coverage yesterday.)

Can I just say how much I love a man with a decorative sword? Holy hells. Wills and Harry in their dress uniforms with their swords. *swoon*

http://twitter.com/starrika Ali

They are – I’ve tried them on. Very comfy!

nel.mcdonald

I own those LK Bennett pumps in every colour available because they are the most comfortable heal I have ever worn. I totally understand why she always wears them…

Maggie_Mae

The Queen, at 86, & Prince Philip, at 90, were also both on their feet throughout the whole event. They enjoy boats!

No commercials on BBCamerica but the whole thing was really a big ad for London Tourism. Even in the rain!

GorgeousThings

While I understand that once a girl finds comfortable shoes, she sticks with them. But I’ve about had it with the LK Bennett pumps.

Any of the anglophiles in the crowd know what the brooch that she’s wearing is? It looks like some sort of royal emblem, doesn’t it?

Chaiaiai

GT, it’s two dolphins and I’ve read somewhere it has to do with Prince William’s military unit.

M_E_S

From the Order of Splendor blog:

“[it’s a] seafaring brooch with twin silver dolphins given to her by the Royal
Navy Submarine Service, of which her hubby is Commodore in Chief”

Maggie_Mae

Small versions of military insignia are sometimes called “sweetheart brooches.”

My mother worked at an Army Air Force base during WWII & got RAF wings from a Brit who visited. She also had navigator wings she got from my father….

mjude

i love when bitter kittens are in the know.

Scott Hester-Johnson

Dolphins also figure prominently in the Thames; the lamposts lining the Embankment have intertwined mutant dolphins.

Aurumgirl

They are the roman dolphins, the symbol of the Thames river.

SignLadyB

Love that plaid and wondered the same thing–at first I thought it was one clutch with two pockets but . . .? And Bill, if you can’t see how much better you look in a fitted jacket (that wonderful uniform) than in your Daddy’s and Grand-Daddy’s double breasteds you need to have your eyes examined. You’re not only looking hot but age appropriate with your pretty lady.

Aurumgirl

You know, it’s not fair to put down his father’s and grandfather’s suits–their suits are impeccable and very well cut. They always look way better than he does! I think Will just has poor taste in clothes or he’s indifferent to the way he looks. That needs to be corrected, I think.

Jangle57

I think it’s just one clutch purse; the tartan item is a scarf that she puts on later if you look at other pictures of the event. I love the dress on her but agree that the shoes, while eminently practical, are getting a bit stale…..

SapphoPoet

She looks great, as usual. I don’t blame her for the shoes–gal has to be on her feet a lot and finding a pair of shoes that are comfortable and appropriate is important. I read somewhere that the pin is a dolphin given to her by Prince Philip.

Sonia Mistry

Man, I wish the 10 other responses saying the same thing had been visible before I posted mine!

YolandaHawkins

I want to personally toss the putty pumps into the Thames. Other than the shoes, Duchess Cathy looks fabulous. Billy looks fine in his uniform.

Perfection. Shoes are appropriate for this event. Willy is awesome in uniform. He should wear it all the time.

Andrea Gates Sanford

I have to comment that while Cathy looked gorgeous and all-princess-all-the-time, she still got upstaged by the Queen who was splendid (indeed, regal!) in her white boxy outfit. Quite a trick to outshine someone who is three feet taller, dressed in bright red and 60 years younger than you.

http://cheekypinky.wordpress.com/ Rebecca

Cutey McRoyals.

shirab

Isn’t that the dress Charlize wore to the MTV awards? But the sleeveless version, like the model.

Lina_bee

The royal styling and costuming team deserves a bonus. Everyone’s outfits and styling were PERFECT for giving the people what they want. Excellent choices all around. And the characters wearing them were quite adept at the good old smile&wave.

bitchybitchybitchy

The Brits do pomp and ceremony to a fare thee well -I take my hat off to them for this diamond jubilee.

Sara__B

Even though the fairy tale ends badly (those shoes!), they look fabulous. As usual. I completely, unashamedly adore looking at photos of this lovely couple.

m0r0

At 5’10” tall maybe the princes has big boat feet and wants to downplay them.

FlamingJune1967

I know that most normal women consider shoes a fashion statement, but after personally suffering many foot ailments and months of therapy, I really think we need to rethink that. If she were walking down a runway or making a brief appearance on the red carpet I might understand everyone’s “boredom” with her shoes, but she is working here! Practical and comfortable shoes while still being semi-fashionable seems like an appropriate compromise.

It always vaguely annoyed me that Prince William and I share a birthday, but he looks so cute here with his lovely wife that I might just let it go.

giiiirrrr

I just realized that I miss Princess Di. Cathy is a lovely girl, but she’s a little conventional for my tastes, both in looks and in fashion choices. Man, am I old.

judith traherne

Looks like she’s eased up on the black eyeliner and man, can she rock a drop waist! Bravo.

SpcilK

They are serving up royalty like breakfast at Denny’s. I wish she had worn the belt shown on the model and different shoes.

suzq

She looked spectacular. After watching BBC America’s documentary about the Queen, I learned that she picked out William’s red uniform (which Harry thought ridiculous, at first) so that he would “stand out.” I can just imagine her sending instructions to Kate requesting a cracking red dress so that she would do the same. Elizabeth overruled her advisors and insisted on televising most of her coronation. She knows how to market the family.

Aurumgirl

I watched the Flotilla for a while on Sunday morning and I could see the dopey pumps from here! God, they’re awful. I also thought the poor woman must be freezing–she was in shirtsleeves while on that boat and everyone else around her wore wool jackets in their uniforms. She really did need a coat yesterday.

EEKstl

FAB hat!

http://ymwlt.blogspot.co.uk/ Dawn Sinclair

Seeing as she was STOOD on a boat for hours I’ll forgive her shoes that are comfy

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=4501978 Martha Jackson Deutsch

Love that hat. Not crazy about the Peek-a-boo! Here’s my tummy! cut of the top. But overall pretty great.

halleygee

I saw her in this on TV and thought she looked radiant. Funny you don’t notice the little details as much as in photos. Such a princess, stunning.

I think they both look great, but I wish Kate wasn’t wearing a dress Kim Kardash-whatever wore for awhile back for some lame photo op, buying groceries or something in her 12 in heels.

JasmineAM

I have never found Bill to be hot at all, but damn he looks damn good in uniform. I’m more of a Harryophile girl, but they both looked fantastic in uniform.

Pennymac

The storybook loving little girl in me just sighed. Everything I would think a prince and princess should be. I’ll be royally disappointed if bad stories come to light about them in the future; just this once I’d like the fantasy to work…

bitchybitchybitchy

This recovering Anglophile agrees 100%. I hope this couple has a very happy future together.

http://www.wordydoodles.com WordyDoodles

There was something about the feel of this that just warmed my heart. Maybe it’s just the warmth of a couple that still seems utterly at ease with each other and with their roles in life.

sweet_potato

I remember seeing Kim Kardashian in the sleeveless version of this dress. Kate looks great in it, she had the good sense to have sleeves and to have it lengthened. I don’t mind Kate’s putty shoes either, and again I’m basing it on my complete and utter dislike of the Kardashian ensemble and her tacky platforms.

http://twitter.com/RhetoricAlley Rebecca L. Needes

Love the dress, but a big mistake to wear it for this event – standing on a red-trimmed barge you could barely see her. What a waste of a great outfit. Notable the other, more experienced royal ladies had gone for cream or white.

MilaXX

Yes but the red is a much better color on her.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CQPXLNCBM5CZSHZZXJDHPVFS7E Buffy

I believe that was the whole point, blend into the background so The Queen stood out. They all looked fabulous no matter what color they had on!

Need to find a website devoted exclusively to the hats. I cannot get enough of the hats!

http://twitter.com/starrika Ali

Go to the Mad Hattery Blog. They cover all the royal hats.

shopgirl716

Thank you! Bookmarked. Spent a lot of time on tiara Pedia

TheOriginalLulu

She’s so pretty. Such a pretty dimpled smile. Well done; she looks great in red. Love that hat.
William looks a thousand times better in his uniform than he does in his father’s double-breasted suits.

cleep1000

It’s great to see such a nice young couple looking so well. I watched some of the Queen’s Jubilee stuff over the weekend, and they made an excellent point about Diana’s legacy. Because of the tragedy of her marriage, the princes are free to marry “real” women, not just aristocratic hot-house flowers. That takes some of the sting out of her untimely death. Both boys are very involved in their own charitable ventures, as well. Diana would be so proud.

SignLadyB

I watched a large portion of that as well. It was fascinating to see not only how the monarchy has evolved in relation to media attention but how the queen has handled the various personal challenges in her life. I thought the montage of Christmas speeches was especially poignant and revealing.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_F73LIJ3SJGI5AJQMXMWXCKILHI Pamela

How can the royal family allow William’s uniform to be more flattering than his civvies and formal wear? He looks every bit the slender, fit, and yummy prince that he is wearing this uniform. Those horrid double-breasted suits make him look dumpy, especially beside Cath. He needs to go to some of the modern, hip tailors on Saville Row, not the ones who made suits for Churchill. Just follow Pierce Brosnan & Daniel Craig when they go shopping.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_F73LIJ3SJGI5AJQMXMWXCKILHI Pamela

How can the royal family allow William’s uniform to be more flattering than his civvies and formal wear? He looks every bit the slender, fit, and yummy prince that he is wearing this uniform. Those horrid double-breasted suits make him look dumpy, especially beside Cath. He needs to go to some of the modern, hip tailors on Saville Row, not the ones who made suits for Churchill. Just follow Pierce Brosnan & Daniel Craig when they go shopping.

Lisa Salmon

It was a scarf and it looked really cute when she wore it on the boat. But did you see Camilla – eeekk!

SignLadyB

Ahhh. Thanks. I bet it DID look cute.

unbornfawn

She’s getting better at the hat/hair combos.

Allison Woods

She’s perfection, that one. It’s kind of a weird dress but she totally pulls it off.

She’s be even more perfect if she lost those beige shoes.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1470792849 Sparkle Bostic

His pants are perfectly hemmed! Show them how it’s done Bill!

bionicgyal1

His pants are perfectly hemmed! Show them how it’s done Bill!

ThaliaMenninger

Wow. He looks so much better in this jacket than the usual double-breasted nonsense.

Sophie Collier

She’s carrying two bags, the McQueen red clutch and a plaid zippered pouch. And it’s brilliant, because the plaid is breaking up the red-on-red of the clutch and dress. Well played, Duchess. Well played.

EDIT: oh, it’s a scarf. Still, it works as a color-buffer! 😀

NurseEllen

She looks fab but far too monochromatic for my taste. I sure would like to see that tartan incorporated into something she was actually wearing, rather than carrying in case of a chill. Different shoes for sure. I love the way the hip detail on her dress echoes hubby’s uniform pockets.

Anything special about the pin she’s wearing? It doesn’t look familiar to me, and it seems pretty inconsequential to be carrying the load for that whole big expanse of red. Unless it’s something particularly symbolic, or perhaps a new gift from Wills, then she should ditch it for something showier.

(edited to say, I just read the explanation about the dolphins and the sweetheart brooch. The BKs come through again!)

http://twitter.com/Mariebeth21 Marie Elizabeth

I think it’s more that he doesn’t care (which to some people is worse than having poor taste in clothes)

That was supposed to be a reply to Aurumgirl post

http://www.facebook.com/Curefreak Daniel Wheeler

she looks fantastic

LittleKarnak

I’m gonna need a gratuitous shot of Prince Harry…talk about a man in uniform!!!!!

siriuslover

The dress is gorgeous on her. As soon as I saw the putty shoes, I thought, uh-oh, there’s one point off for TLo! William looks so dashing.

http://www.facebook.com/janet.selman Janet Selman

The cut of the bottom of that blouse would look HORRIBLE on anyone else. Anyone over 100 lb.

http://twitter.com/LOfficielEbony TheVeryLivingEND

She is perfection.

quiltrx

That square part over the Royal China makes my eye twitch a bit. Luckily she’s got the body for it. Adorable fascinator. And adorable uniformed husband!

http://profiles.google.com/sara.e.munoz Sara Munoz

Jesus. How hot are they???

guest2visits

I finally realized seeing the two of them side by side; that when she dresses for most occasions, state and public functions;
she is really in uniform… just as much as he is with his sashes and metals. They are both looking wonderful.
I just want her to change up her usual eye make-up for something else more suitable to her youth and beauty.

OneTwoThreeFashion

LOVE LOVE LOVE it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO MUCH CLASS!

formerlyAnon

She is darn near perfection.

He is completely, adorably, unbelievably dorky.

ccm800

WHOO she’s slender. I wana see these two in tshirts and jeans barefoot on the beach.

ChristySchiff

Why can’t he just dress like that all the time. Look how much younger he looks when he’s not wearing those huge suits. Also, that hat is adorable.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=768540908 Badriya Al-Badi’a

Am I the only one thinking that if the skirt were half as short, she’d be looking like Counselor Troi in a fancy hat?

sononagal

OMG – that is hysterical!

LinXGUA

Red and blue. The pairing looks good. Yes, they look perfect.
Aww, they gave Bill a sword! How cool is that? He must be envious of Cathy carrying those cute purses to play all the time.

sweetlilvoice

Disney characters indeed, so lovely. The shoes make me a bit sad but it’s her standard shoe. Red looks amazing on her. Will also looks great in uniform.

sononagal

ummmmmm…I really like the shoes…..

http://profiles.google.com/saramichelef Sarah Michele Ford

Will should get the same tailor who fit his uniform to fit all his other suits. For once he doesn’t look like he raided Daddy’s closet.

xmixiex

omg, if she’d worn that corset belt…!!!!!!!!

RzYoung

It’s a gorgeous outfit but gd she must’ve been cold on that boat. I was freezing watching from indoors!

oohsparkley!

And her hat is totally cute.

http://twitter.com/anacedillo Ana Ced

looks much better on her than it ever did on kim kardashian….anyone else remember that?